Commissioning considerations for the Bravos high-dose-rate afterloader: Towards improving treatment delivery accuracy

Abstract

Background and PurposeThe upgrade of major equipment can be disruptive to clinical operations and introduce risk as policy and procedures need to adapt to new technical possibilities and constraints. We describe here the transition from GammaMedPlus-iX to Bravos in a busy brachytherapy clinic, involving four afterloaders across two sites. Material and MethodsOur clinic employs three high-dose-rate remote afterloaders in four dedicated treatment vaults at the main site and a fourth afterloader at a regional location. Of more than 600 new HDR treatment plans performed annually, most are planned and treated intraoperatively. Most treatments are for prostate cancer, followed by GYN, intraoperative brachytherapy, GI, and other sites. Applicators used include vendor-provided applicators as well as 3rd party applicators and in-house 3D-printed devices to provide interstitial, intracavitary, intraluminal, and surface treatments. All applicators were commissioned according to recommended guidelines. The choice of tolerances and the design of new procedures were informed by current guidelines and leveraged new HDR afterloader functionalities. A review of clinical operations in the four months post-upgrade was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of new tolerances and the effectiveness of new procedures. ResultsThe procedures outlined improved and standardized afterloader QA and treatment protocols with clear actionable steps for staff to follow to ensure treatments are delivered as planned. Re-commissioning of applicators yielded results similar to those previously reported by other investigators. A review of initial treatment data revealed that in one case, due to the implementation of tight tolerances, obstruction near the tip of the channel was detected and corrected prior to treatment. It confirms that the implementation of the tolerances adopted is feasible and effective in flagging treatment deviations. ConclusionEnhanced procedures and QA processes were implemented successfully. We established clear actionable steps to follow by staff to ensure that treatments are delivered accurately.